Premier League Preview: West Ham - Manchester City

By Matthew Rogerson

Martin Demichelis is in line to make his debut after coming through a midweek reserves fixture, but he will face a Hammers side buoyed by a recent 3-0 win over rival Tottenham.

Manchester City will look to record its first Premier League away win of the season when it takes on West Ham at Upton Park on Saturday.

City has won just three of its last 11 matches on the road in the top flight and is yet to record back-to-back victories in the league this season. It is this inconsistency that has limited Manuel Pellegrini's men to fifth place, with City excelling at times in its victories.

Thanks to the efforts of Yaya Toure and Sergio Aguero (four goals each), as well as three from Alvaro Negredo, City has scored the most goals in the Premier League with 17.

Toure has either scored or assisted in five of City's seven league appearances this season and will be hoping to continue his run of form against Sam Allardyce's West Ham.

City captain Vincent Kompany (thigh) is in doubt for the fixture, meaning Argentinian defender Martin Demichelis could be in line for his debut. The center back has not played for City since arriving from Atletico Madrid due to a knee problem, but he came through a development squad fixture against Rochdale on Wednesday unscathed.

"It was important to play and get the confidence back. I felt great and it was important to feel what a game is like again," Demichelis told the club's official website. "My knee responded very well and I'm very happy after working very hard to get here ... I'm looking forward to my debut."

Defender Aleksandar Kolarov could return for City after going off in a 3-1 win over Everton earlier this month with an eye injury.

City has lost just one of its last 12 top-flight meetings against West Ham, which has won just twice all season. Allardyce and his men will be buoyed by their 3-0 win over London rivals Tottenham in their last Premier League fixture, though, and the West Ham boss believes his side can cause another upset.

"The Premier League is all about surprises so if we can deliver another surprise that would be fantastic," Allardyce said. "I've always said that if you play your best against Manchester City sometimes it's not enough, but as long as we do our best and we catch Manchester City on a relatively off day we can get a result."

While West Ham has struggled offensively, scoring only seven league goals, it is one of three sides to have conceded just five times.

Striker Carlton Cole could feature for the club for the first time since re-joining West Ham, with the England international signing a three-month deal at Upton Park despite being released in May.

James Collins picked up a hamstring problem while on international duty with Wales, while Andy Carroll (heel) and Alou Diarra (anterior cruciate ligament) are long-term absentees.